Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is poised to make a decision on Kinder Morgan’s $6.8-billion Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, perhaps as early as today at a weekly cabinet meeting.
There have been several hints recently indicating that the federal Liberals will approve the controversial project, including notice that Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr has a meeting booked at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday to give an update on market access for Canada’s energy products. Alberta has championed the project that would give it a new market in Asia for bitumen from its oilsands.
While the exact timing of a decision on the 1,150-kilometre pipeline to Burnaby isn’t known, one thing is certain: The project has divided British Columbians.
On the one side are First Nations along the Burrard Inlet, in the Fraser Valley and B.C. Interior, and environmental and community groups. They oppose the project over concerns that an ocean spill would be catastrophic, increased tanker traffic would harm killer whales and the project will increase Canada’s carbon emissions.
Proponents include business groups, oil-industry companies, some municipalities and sections of the labour movement. They say the project makes sense, because Canada has high environmental standards in a world that will still need oil, is in a good position to ensure the project is built and operated in a safe manner, and at the same time will provided jobs and economic activity. Kinder Morgan also says 40 First Nations have signed support agreements, including in the B.C. Interior and in Alberta.
Further complicating the project’s future is the B.C. Liberal government’s insistence that its five conditions for approval — which include protecting the coast from a spill — haven’t been met. Premier Christy Clark issued a warning Monday over possible approval by the Trudeau government: “It’s going to be the prime minister’s job to come to our province and explain why the project is in the national interest.”
— With files from Rob Shaw in Victoria
